Fall brings a bounty of books for young readers, including picture books by A-list celebrities, the companion to a National Book Award winner, and much more. See our roundup of the biggest of the bunch.
Picture Books
Cary Fagan, illus. by Dasha Tolstikova. Groundwood, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-77306-548-9. Ages 3–6. Annabelle’s discovery of an old dog bone leads her to ruminations on its previous whereabouts in nature. The book received a starred review from PW.
Reese Witherspoon, illus. by Xindi Yan. Flamingo, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-5934-6588-2. Ages 3–7. In this picture book debut from actor, producer, and book champion Witherspoon, Betty utilizes her positive attitude to tackle giving her unruly pup a bath.
Nell Cross Beckerman, illus. by Kalen Chock. Orchard, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-338-72662-6. Ages 4–8. This picture book explores the vastness of seven caves, highlighting their unique features and beauty. The book received a starred review from PW.
Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure
Jimmy Fallon and Jennifer Lopez, illus. by Andrea Campos. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-2508-3041-8. Ages 2–5. Pollo, a small chicken, guides readers through fun activities using bilingual language along the way in this celebrity collaboration.
Adam Rex, illus. by Laura Park. Chronicle, $16.99 (76p) ISBN 978-1-4521-8386-2. Ages 5–8. Li’l Candy’s dream of being eaten is finally fulfilled and a theatrical performance in the digestive system determines her nutritional value to the body. The book received a starred review from PW.
Caron Levis, illus. by Charles Santoso. Abrams, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4197-5458-6. Ages 4–8. Based on the true story of an avian duo, storks Klepetan and Malena navigate their first migration apart. The book received a starred review from PW.
Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illus. by Patrick Dougher with photographs by Jamel Shabazz. HarperCollins, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-06-303617-8. Ages 4–8. In a free verse collection, Thompkins-Bigelow centers harmonious memories for Black children to cherish. The book received a starred review from PW.
Julie Fogliano, illus. by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8234-4345-1. Ages 3–6. Two children express the values that do and don’t affect their friendship after a falling out. See our look at the three-way collaboration behind the book.
Kenneth Kraegel. Candlewick, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-1941-8. Ages 2–5. At the end of a playful day spent with friends, a narrator invites readers into a cozy home filled with mushroom keepsakes for bedtime. The book received a starred review from PW.
Reimena Yee. Random House Graphic, $20.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-9848-9418-2. When Safia, who is blind, moves in with her reclusive grandmother, she perceives her as a monster as they take a globe-spanning adventure. The book received a starred review from PW. Ages 8–12.
The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense
Jon Scieszka, illus. by Julia Rothman. Candlewick, $19.99 (80p) ISBN 978-0-7636-9434-0. Ages 7–10. Introducing six Dada geese who guide readers through the story, Scieszka and Rothman put new spins on classic fairy tales. See our q&a with Scieszka and Rothman. The book received a starred review from PW.
Meg Fleming, illus. by Lucy Ruth Cummins. Dial, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-593-10835-2. Ages 4–8. Students become enthralled by their ability to advocate for the next vote on classroom pet. The book received a starred review from PW.
The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer
Philip C. Stead, illus. by Erin E. Stead. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8234-4428-1. Ages 4–8. A mule, cow, and miniature horse ruminate on the connection between the late sunrise and the disappearance of their usually timely farmer.
Symphony for a Broken Orchestra
Amy Ignatow, illus. by Gwen Millward. Walker Books US, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5362-1363-8. Ages 6–9. A local artist finds new ways to teach students to play abandoned instruments in Philadelphia. The book received a starred review from PW.
Alicia D. Williams, illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. Atheneum/Dlouhy, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5344-9529-6. Ages 4–8. Jay, an athletic Black boy, receives varying conversations about how to survive in an anti-Black world. The book received a starred review from PW.
Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen. Orchard, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-338-67384-5. Ages 4–8. Barnett and Klassen reunite to apply new ideas to the classic fairy tale in which a trio of goats outsmart a troll. See our cover reveal and story here. The book received a starred review from PW.
Polly Faber, illus. by Richard Jones. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2852-6. Ages 3–7. A hungry fox befriends a well-known Christmastime figure and acclimates to life in the North Pole. The book received a starred review from PW.
Feather Flores, illus. by Carrie Liao. Chronicle, $15.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-4521-8461-6. All ages. This ode to the holiday countdown “Twelve Days of Christmas” centers a group of rascal kittens being playful. The book received a starred review from PW.
Tameka Fryer Brown, illus. by Ebony Glenn. Kokila, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-984815-17-0. Ages 4–8. Putting a warming twist on “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” the sound of the doorbell marks the arrival of more members of a Black family arriving with food and affection. The book received a starred review from PW.
Deborah Underwood, illus. by Sergio Ruzzier. Beach Lane, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5344-7700-1. Ages up to 8. Walter faces the quiet grief of losing his best friend Xavier, when the duo grow distant after Xavier makes a new friend. The book received a starred review from PW.
Gerda Muller. Floris, $17.95 (36p) ISBN 978-1-78250-810-6. Ages 3–6. A trail of footprints lead readers into the wintry outdoors and back home after bedtime. The book received a starred review from PW.
Middle Grade
Gale Galligan. Graphix, $24.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-338-04580-2. Ages 8–12. Cory wants to make the most of his time with dance crew, but when he gets stuck in tutoring lessons, he befriends a new classmate and admires her yo-yo skills. See our q&a with Galligan. The book received a starred review from PW.
Claribel A. Ortega, illus. by Rose Bousamra. First Second, $21.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-250-25963-9. Ages 8–12. After attending a quince with a hairstyle that draws negative commentary, middle schooler Marlene goes on a journey of self-love and appreciation for her natural curly hair. See our 2020 Flying Starts interview with Ortega. The book received a starred review from PW.
Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One
Maggie Horne. HarperCollins, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-358-66470-3. Ages 8–12. When Hazel discovers that her best friend isn’t who she thought he was, she teams up with a former nemesis to gain justice for people he’s harmed. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jamar Nicholas. Graphix, $24.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-338-74415-6. Ages 8–12. Despite not having any special powers, middle schooler Leon will have to use his brains to save his classmates from being brainwashed. The book received a starred review from PW.
Liz Garton Scanlon. Chronicle, $16.99 (232p) ISBN 978-1-7972-1294-4. Ages 10 and up. After the accidental death of a baby under her care, Lolo finds reprieve from her grief by a mysterious light appearing in the baby’s window. The book received a starred review from PW.
Matt Faulkner. Atheneum, $18.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-534-47762-9. Ages 10 and up. Following her brother’s enlistment into WWII, 10-year-old Mari takes an oath of silence, finding solace in the art she creates in her journal. The book received a starred review from PW.
Jasmine Warga, illus. by Matt Rockefeller. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-06-311392-3. Ages 8–12. Mars rover Resilience prepares for a trip into space and develops a touching friendship with the daughter of a NASA scientist. The book received a starred review from PW.
Elle McNicoll. Crown, $16.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-593-56299-4. Ages 8–12. Navigating the grief of losing her mother, autistic 12-year-old Cora Byers becomes the new subject of a corporation attempting to create holograms that will preserve loved ones after death. The book received a starred review from PW.
Gail Carson Levine. Quill Tree, $17.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-06-303907-0. Ages 10 and up.
Trojan princess Cassandria teams up with Amazon princess Rin when her subjects don’t believe her prophesy about an upcoming war that will ravage their city. The book received a starred review from PW.
The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey
Jason Chin. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8234-5070-1. Ages 8–12. Chin breaks down the human body into the tiniest of cells to discover the vast world of science inside of us all. The book received a starred review from PW.
Young Adult
Mariko Tamaki. Disney-Hyperion/de la Cruz, $18.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-368-07840-5. Ages 14 and up. In this diverse spin on Anne of Green Gables, Anne struggles with her move to Greenville when she discovers her crush is a part of the group of classmates making hurtful remarks towards her. See our roundup of new and forthcoming Anne of Green Gables retellings.
Emily Inouye Huey. Scholastic Press, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-338-78994-2. Ages 12 and up. In this WWII-set coming-of age story, Japanese high school sophomore Samantha handles her aspirations to become a photographer, her blossoming love life, and escalating threats to the Japanese community. The book received a starred review from PW.
Robin Roe. HarperTeen, $18.99 (512p) ISBN 978-0-06-305173-7. Ages 14 and up. Cocky and privileged high schooler Sayers tries to maintain hold of reality after he is kidnapped by a man claiming to be his father. The book received a starred review from PW.
Liz Montague. Random House Studio, $24.99 (176p) ISBN 978-0-593-30782-3. Ages 12 and up. In graphic novel format, New Yorker cartoonist Montague traces her relationship with art from her childhood that led to her career as an artist. See our q&a with Montague. The book received a starred review from PW.
Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting
Kindra Neely. Little, Brown, $24.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-3164-6208-2. Ages 12 and up. A survivor of a mass shooting, Neely recounts the difficult path to recovery and healing. The book received a starred review from PW.
Erica Waters. HarperTeen, $18.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-0631-1590-3. Ages 13 and up. Three teens attempt to find the remains of a serial killer while keeping their connections to the case a secret. The book received a starred review from PW.
Malinda Lo. Dutton, $18.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-525-55528-5. Ages 14 and up. In this standalone companion to Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Aria West’s summer with her grandmother becomes a transformative journey of self-discovery when she meets gardener Steph and is introduced to the LGBTQ scene in San Francisco. The book received a starred review from PW.
Joan He. Roaring Brook, $18.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-250-25858-8. Ages 12–17. Based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, 18-year-old strategist infiltrates an enemy’s camp and must avoid discovery by an equally challenging and charming strategist. The book received a starred review from PW.
Tasting Light: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Rewire Your Perceptions
Edited by A.R. Capetta and Wade Roush. MITeen, $19.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-5362-1938-8. Ages 14 and up. In this speculative collection, 10 short stories imagine how science will be able to create connection, help in the grieving process, and more. The book received a starred review from PW.
Beatrice Alemagna, trans. from the French by Karin Snelson and Emilie Robert Wong. Unruly, $24.95 (96p) ISBN 978-1-59270-381-4. Ages 14 and up. Embracing the darkness of the original "Snow White," the fairy tale is retold from the perspective of the queen as she attempts to survive.
